WEBVTT - Bears vs. Chargers Game Preview Week 8 | Bears, etc. Podcast 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:03.240 Right justin middle of the field forty five fifteen. Bring 0:00:03.360 --> 0:00:05.720 Russ in front of a leading Lions in this way. 0:00:06.080 --> 0:00:10.480 I am Jeff Jonahacklitsu on dot up. 0:00:12.000 --> 0:00:13.800 What was like playing for coach Gooddom. 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:16.000 I don't want to answer any questions like that. 0:00:16.160 --> 0:00:19.000 Sixty one yards? What's Sunday strow for? 0:00:19.360 --> 0:00:27.720 Justin field? Ye Bears et Cetera With the voices of 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:34.040 the Chicago Bears Jeff Joniac, We're off to La Sofi 0:00:34.120 --> 0:00:36.199 Stadium with the Bears. Visit the two and four La 0:00:36.360 --> 0:00:39.360 Charges Sunday Night Football with Super Bowl winning Bears Guard 0:00:39.400 --> 0:00:41.800 Town Player. I'm Jeff Jonahack, and welcome into episode twenty 0:00:41.840 --> 0:00:43.680 eight of the Bears et Cetera podcast. Good to be 0:00:43.720 --> 0:00:45.519 with you each and every Tuesday and Thursday of the 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:47.800 regular season. We always have a special guest or try 0:00:47.840 --> 0:00:50.480 to today. Tommy lurd In a good one he put 0:00:50.560 --> 0:00:53.199 He put out the APB for Pro Football Hall of 0:00:53.240 --> 0:00:56.600 Fame quarterback the San Diego Charger Great Dan Fouts. A 0:00:56.680 --> 0:00:59.480 wonderful interview with him. We love dipping in the past, 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:01.480 don't we kind of explained the present? 0:01:01.720 --> 0:01:01.880 Well? 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:05.280 You said it perfectly introduced a lot of the listeners 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:08.039 to the past so they can get more introduced to 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:11.039 the present. And when you talk about Dan Fouts and 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:15.240 his experience in the NFL and the development of passing 0:01:15.319 --> 0:01:17.959 offenses with a lot of it what we see today. 0:01:18.480 --> 0:01:21.199 He played for some remarkable coaches. 0:01:20.920 --> 0:01:24.240 And even though he had a slow start to his career, 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:27.800 it had a remarkable ending which concluded into the Pro 0:01:27.840 --> 0:01:30.760 Football Hall of Fame. Then he went onto the broadcasting 0:01:30.840 --> 0:01:33.760 business and I knew a couple of the offensive linemen 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:36.800 that he played for, and they talk about his toughness, 0:01:36.840 --> 0:01:40.759 his dedication, his desire to be great, and it's been proven. 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:43.560 Yeah, So we'll enjoy that conversation coming up. First, let's 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:46.240 get the status at hallis a couple of things. Injury wise, 0:01:46.240 --> 0:01:49.080 there is no change in justin fields right now issue 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:51.560 and they're getting to it. Nate Davis did not practice, 0:01:51.720 --> 0:01:54.720 Jakwon Brisker Ill did not practice. Treuelle Smith working through 0:01:54.720 --> 0:01:57.480 mono no practice, no practice for Donna right now, I 0:01:57.520 --> 0:02:00.360 want to pick up the conversation here because going back 0:02:00.400 --> 0:02:04.400 over the tape watching him that shoulder, it was bothering him. 0:02:04.640 --> 0:02:07.360 Did you did you notice how he gutted it out? 0:02:07.400 --> 0:02:11.280 He at times barely used his left shoulder trying to 0:02:11.280 --> 0:02:14.559 block Max Crosby. What did you think of that performance 0:02:14.600 --> 0:02:16.440 by Darnell? Not one hundred percent. 0:02:16.639 --> 0:02:19.520 You know, it's inspirational when a young guy has such 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:21.960 high desire to be on the field with his teammates 0:02:22.280 --> 0:02:24.519 that he's willing to play at less than one hundred percent. 0:02:25.000 --> 0:02:26.720 But I think you're going to have to go back 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:30.079 and take out what shoulder was bothering so the enemy 0:02:30.120 --> 0:02:32.640 doesn't listen to this, and then you know it going 0:02:32.720 --> 0:02:36.240 forward we watch the tape, but you know, Jeff, there 0:02:36.320 --> 0:02:38.040 was a lot of times during the broadcast that you 0:02:38.080 --> 0:02:40.000 looked at me with the headset off, saying, hey, look 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:40.520 at Darnell. 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:42.320 He's really rotating his shoulder. 0:02:42.760 --> 0:02:45.160 And then he had a play that he got fell 0:02:45.200 --> 0:02:48.000 on and it kind of looked like his you know, 0:02:48.080 --> 0:02:51.359 his lower leg some portion was bothering him a little. 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:55.079 But he worked through it. And I think whenever. 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:57.560 You get into this stage of the season, probably all 0:02:57.560 --> 0:02:58.920 the way to the end of the year, you're going 0:02:58.960 --> 0:03:02.120 to be less than one hundred per But again, he 0:03:02.200 --> 0:03:04.120 went out there and played a winning game. 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:06.680 Well, it looks like it's a toe. Toe that's also 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:08.919 on the injury report, so shoulder in toe for right 0:03:09.000 --> 0:03:12.120 Dan Feenie limited with an e Eddie Jackson limited Braxton Jones. 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:14.919 The clock starts Tom the left tackle as a twenty 0:03:14.919 --> 0:03:16.600 one day window to see if he can get back 0:03:16.600 --> 0:03:20.320 from a neck injury. Limited today. Where do you look 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:23.600 at that situation with an injury like that in that window? 0:03:23.680 --> 0:03:25.880 Could he come back sooner than that? Can he come 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:26.560 back this week? 0:03:26.720 --> 0:03:26.960 Yeah? 0:03:27.000 --> 0:03:29.560 You know, well, I think he could, depending upon the 0:03:29.600 --> 0:03:31.919 severity of the injury. And I went through a pup 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:34.600 list to start a season when I had my back surgery. 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:37.800 And there's a couple of proving points that you want 0:03:37.840 --> 0:03:40.760 to make to yourself rather than make them to your 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:44.800 teammates or your coach, going, Okay, I'm ready for hard impacts. 0:03:45.120 --> 0:03:49.560 I can absorb big hits from linebackers. I can make 0:03:49.720 --> 0:03:52.840 executed blocks downfield if I have to leave my feet. 0:03:53.160 --> 0:03:55.440 Then as soon as you do a couple of those things, 0:03:55.680 --> 0:03:58.000 then all of a sudden that we all becomes second nature. 0:03:58.120 --> 0:04:02.040 So having recover bring from back surgery or a neck injury, 0:04:02.080 --> 0:04:04.839 they're both sensitive areas of the body. So I think 0:04:04.880 --> 0:04:08.120 once Braxton proves to himself he's ready to go, then 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:09.480 he'll be ready to go. 0:04:09.480 --> 0:04:12.160 Good new Chicago United Airlines is getting brand new planes 0:04:12.200 --> 0:04:15.080 with all the bells and whistles, like Bluetooth connectivity screens 0:04:15.120 --> 0:04:18.559 at every seat and room. From Everyone's Rollerbag United Proud 0:04:18.600 --> 0:04:21.760 to fly the Chicago Bears and you too Jeff Jonieck 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:24.080 and Tom Thayer on the Bears et Ce podcast. Tyson 0:04:24.160 --> 0:04:27.320 Beaijing went to the podium today, this time as an 0:04:27.360 --> 0:04:32.400 experienced starting quarterback by virtue of his first game. The 0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:37.880 reviews have been impressive. The comments also resonating from players 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:40.880 miked up Cole Comet Lucas Patrick were micd up for 0:04:40.920 --> 0:04:44.800 Inside the NFL. Those came to light heard also from 0:04:44.839 --> 0:04:48.400 Marcedes Lewis. And now it's a bigger stage. He goes 0:04:48.440 --> 0:04:51.600 to La to take on the Chargers with Kylail Mack 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:54.360 and Joey Bosa and the Gang, a defense that is struggling, 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:57.159 albeit but it's going to be a lot more attention 0:04:57.360 --> 0:04:59.280 on Tyson Beagin. How do you think he'll handle it. 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:01.520 I think he's gonna handle it well. I don't think 0:05:01.560 --> 0:05:04.159 any stage is too big for him. However, this is 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:07.400 the one and only national televised Sunday night game where 0:05:07.440 --> 0:05:10.120 the world of football will be watching. When you talk 0:05:10.160 --> 0:05:13.000 about him having a home game against the Raiders, it 0:05:13.120 --> 0:05:16.520 only shows in the portion of the country. But now 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:19.479 you're having that game that everybody's going to see. You're 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:22.440 going to have young players from smaller colleges that are 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:25.599 going to be watching Tyson Basing with interest and give 0:05:25.640 --> 0:05:28.400 them the self confidence that they belong and they can 0:05:28.400 --> 0:05:28.760 make it. 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:31.839 And then you're going to see other young quarterbacks. 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:34.159 Around the league that maybe have been picked much higher 0:05:34.200 --> 0:05:37.200 than him to saying, Okay, what is this guy seeing, 0:05:37.240 --> 0:05:39.920 how is he preparing, What is he doing to give 0:05:40.000 --> 0:05:44.800 him this successful of an opportunity so early in his career. 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:47.320 Here's Beijing from the podium on Wednesday. N If he's 0:05:47.400 --> 0:05:48.600 less nervous. 0:05:48.200 --> 0:05:51.159 This week, I have the same nerves every week since 0:05:51.160 --> 0:05:53.520 I've been playing football. Just usually I'm just nerved up 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:57.960 throughout the week, unless we're in practice or unless until 0:05:57.960 --> 0:06:00.479 we get to the pregame. You know, time I'm on 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:02.159 the field, good that we I don't feel it, but 0:06:02.600 --> 0:06:03.920 you know when you're in the room thinking about it, 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:07.359 studying it, I am nerved up in those moments, but 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:09.440 at stays pretty consistent no matter what. 0:06:09.680 --> 0:06:12.440 As we are nervous preparation. You know, are you ready 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:15.160 for your game mentally? And I think that's probably what 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:16.120 he what he refers to. 0:06:16.960 --> 0:06:19.440 You know, Listen, I watched Jay Hilgenberg throw up before 0:06:19.480 --> 0:06:22.480 every game, and he's a seven time pro bowler, and 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:25.120 that was even late into his career. When you're a 0:06:25.120 --> 0:06:28.120 football player and you're driving up to whatever stadium you're 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:30.560 playing in, whether by bus or by your own car, 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:33.400 there's a certain nervousness that's in the pit of your stomach, 0:06:33.600 --> 0:06:36.520 and it's going to last until you get your second win, 0:06:36.600 --> 0:06:38.080 and then you get into the flow. 0:06:37.800 --> 0:06:38.280 Of the game. 0:06:38.600 --> 0:06:40.920 So it's it's nothing, it's something that's never going to 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:43.680 leave him. It's just part of the game. But you know, 0:06:43.760 --> 0:06:48.520 I think Tyson was raised around a father that had 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:52.400 a lot of notoriety and experience and camera lights and action, 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:55.600 and you kind of get used to seeing that from 0:06:55.880 --> 0:06:58.640 from afar, from somebody you're really close to. 0:06:58.760 --> 0:07:02.520 And no question, that makes total sense. It's not that 0:07:02.640 --> 0:07:05.640 far away from a major metropolitan city. Even though you think, oh, 0:07:05.680 --> 0:07:08.039 he's a country kid or whatever, No, that's not the case. 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:11.480 The Potomac River ran right through the back of Shepherd 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:14.280 University or whatever, and he was out there using it 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:16.800 as a cold tub with his buddies. I mean, it's 0:07:16.240 --> 0:07:20.040 crazy stories of how he prepared for each football season 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:23.840 by virtue of his dad's influence as well. And speaking 0:07:23.880 --> 0:07:25.840 of that, I don't know if you heard this or not, 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:30.200 but somebody from West Virginia, a reporter contacted Beigent last 0:07:30.280 --> 0:07:33.600 night and he in his research, he is the first 0:07:33.880 --> 0:07:36.880 West Virginia born and raised quarterback to start a National 0:07:36.880 --> 0:07:37.760 Football League game. 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:40.920 Yeah, for me, it's wild to think about. You just 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:43.960 think about, you know how long the NFL has been, 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:46.080 you know how long they've been playing in the NFL. 0:07:46.160 --> 0:07:49.200 How many people have gone through the NFL. So when 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:52.200 there's still when they're still when you can still be 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:54.640 the first to do something in this league that's been 0:07:54.640 --> 0:07:57.560 around so long and had so many people come through it, 0:07:57.560 --> 0:08:00.560 it's definitely an honor in something that's really crazy to 0:08:00.560 --> 0:08:00.920 think about. 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:03.240 You know that he congratulated him even more. You know, 0:08:04.520 --> 0:08:06.600 he's not a guy that grew up on green acres 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:09.160 where he's climbing a telephone pole to make a phone call. 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:11.880 It's just the fact that he's from a small school 0:08:12.160 --> 0:08:14.720 and he's got a ton of belief in himself, ton 0:08:14.760 --> 0:08:18.000 of belief in his development and that his experience, no 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:21.320 matter how small the school it was, it's relatable to 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:24.840 developing into an NFL quarterback. We'll see where it goes 0:08:24.880 --> 0:08:28.000 from here. You know, we're not placing the crown on 0:08:28.080 --> 0:08:32.120 his head yet. However, the early indicators are that he 0:08:32.280 --> 0:08:34.200 has an asset to this football team all right. 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:37.320 Now, the other big question, I think people are thinking 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:40.600 that he has not enough arm strength to push the 0:08:40.600 --> 0:08:44.959 ball down the field, and he pushed back on that today. Granted, 0:08:44.960 --> 0:08:48.000 the game plan was horizontal, it was a short passing game. 0:08:48.040 --> 0:08:51.120 It was the little toss to Deontay Foreman, it was 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:55.000 the I sweeps, it was everything inside a twenty yards, 0:08:55.040 --> 0:08:58.000 nothing beyond twenty yards. That doesn't mean he can't do it. 0:08:58.040 --> 0:09:00.400 He did take with the Raiders defense allowed to take. 0:09:00.679 --> 0:09:04.200 Now we expect something different from a more pressure oriented 0:09:04.240 --> 0:09:08.840 defense like the Chargers on Sunday. Should these questions be 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:12.199 asked of Beijing regarding his arm just because of that 0:09:12.280 --> 0:09:13.040 one performance? 0:09:13.200 --> 0:09:14.960 You know, I think it's kind of silly to base 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:20.120 your evaluation of Tyson Beagent on his first performance, because 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:23.480 you're talking about trying to protect against Max Crosby. You're 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:27.160 trying to protect against multiple level blitzers from the inside. 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:30.079 So now you get an efiicient seventeen yard screen to 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:35.840 Deontay Foreman, you get a nice screen over to Marcedes Lewis, 0:09:36.080 --> 0:09:39.160 you get another touchdown pass to Deontay Foreman that he's 0:09:39.200 --> 0:09:42.000 able to score in the red zone. Listen, I'm not 0:09:42.160 --> 0:09:45.720 looking for eighty yard bombs. I'm looking for first downs. 0:09:45.960 --> 0:09:48.240 And we talk about this all the time, Jeff, whether 0:09:48.240 --> 0:09:51.400 it's the running game or the passing game. Just have 0:09:51.559 --> 0:09:54.080 that nine extra minutes of time of possession that you 0:09:54.200 --> 0:09:56.960 did score when you get into the red zone, and 0:09:57.040 --> 0:09:59.240 it's all a part of a success story. 0:09:59.360 --> 0:09:59.600 To me. 0:10:00.160 --> 0:10:02.520 Thing can be more maddening for a defense than a 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:06.560 fifteen play drive where they just slowly move the ball 0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:09.000 down the field, get in chunks and eat up the 0:10:09.080 --> 0:10:11.600 time of possession and they can't stop it. And that's 0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:14.839 what happened against the Raiders on three occasions. And as 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:18.000 an offensive lineman, doesn't that give you more energy to 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:19.800 have a drive. You would think it tires out an 0:10:19.840 --> 0:10:22.319 offense as well as a defense, And maybe it does. 0:10:22.600 --> 0:10:26.440 You tell me, these long drives, you know, more mistakes 0:10:26.440 --> 0:10:30.240 can happen, obviously with more fights at the apple. But 0:10:30.440 --> 0:10:33.360 in the end, I seem to think an offensive line 0:10:33.400 --> 0:10:35.160 would get lathered up and feel good about it. 0:10:35.559 --> 0:10:38.080 Well, you're kind of answering your own question without asking 0:10:38.080 --> 0:10:41.439 a question. They have one hundred and seventy three yards rushing. 0:10:41.760 --> 0:10:45.319 They have these exterior jets, sweeps and passes to the outside. 0:10:45.559 --> 0:10:48.920 Now even take these rotating defensive tackles, and you make 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:52.600 those guys run from hashmark to sideline or center field 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:56.560 to sideline, and now all sudden, by the third quarter, 0:10:56.720 --> 0:10:59.640 they're tired coming back onto the field. You have another 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:02.720 one those double digit drives, and they are standing with 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:04.959 their hands on their hips in the huddle and they 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:09.000 are exhausted. So I listen man. I was super impressed 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:12.960 by the imaginativeness of Luke Getzi and the game plan 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:15.079 he put together for the Raiders. 0:11:14.800 --> 0:11:17.400 Which leads us to our conversation with Pro Football Hall 0:11:17.400 --> 0:11:20.720 of Famer Dan Fouts. Fouts joined us from his home 0:11:20.720 --> 0:11:23.439 in Oregon for a good half hour, talking about all things, 0:11:23.480 --> 0:11:27.280 including president and past offensive systems in the NFL, and 0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:30.120 a bunch of other great stories. Hope you enjoy it 0:11:30.120 --> 0:11:32.560 all right, Welcome to Everybody to Our Bears, Etc. Podcast. 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:36.040 Our special guest this week, Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts, 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:39.280 a legendary figure for the San Diego now LA Chargers, 0:11:39.280 --> 0:11:41.800 with Tom Dayraim, Jeff Jonie. Good to have you alongside 0:11:42.200 --> 0:11:44.760 and Dan. We're coming up with ideas for this week's show. 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:47.559 And first thing Tom said, Gosh is the very way 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:49.880 to get ahold of Dan Fouts because he got old 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:52.120 of Doug Williams's old buddy from the USFL And that 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:54.640 was a wonderful conversation, and I know we're gonna have 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:56.720 a wonderful one with you. I look to see if 0:11:56.720 --> 0:11:59.360 you guys have ever crossed pass in that eighty five season, 0:11:59.400 --> 0:11:59.880 and you did not. 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:02.280 I think we did play him in a couple of 0:12:02.400 --> 0:12:07.520 years later because I became friends with Ed White, one 0:12:07.559 --> 0:12:10.959 of his offensive linemen, through my friendship with Jim Lche, 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:14.080 who was one of their offensive tackles. I think I 0:12:14.160 --> 0:12:16.520 was on the field one saying hi to Dan Fouts 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:19.040 and got yelled at by Coriel for coming over and 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:19.720 saying hi. 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:23.800 You know, it was like fratnizing with the enemy or something. 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:28.400 Well, he hated every team and everybody associated with the 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:31.240 team that we were playing, he would work himself up 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:35.720 into a ladder and we found it quite humorous at times. 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:40.559 But he was just so focused and his hatred is 0:12:40.600 --> 0:12:41.920 what really drove him a lot. 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:44.440 So when you look at the offenses of today and 0:12:44.440 --> 0:12:46.640 you look what you guys were doing back in the day, 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:49.199 I mean it was the most high powered offense on 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:50.640 the NFL market. 0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:50.959 At that time. 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:55.400 Is that offense transferable to the modern day NFL? 0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:58.920 The RPOs and that style of game. 0:12:59.360 --> 0:13:02.439 I think it has more of an influence on coaches 0:13:03.120 --> 0:13:04.920 and their willingness to throw the ball. 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:07.359 The example that was set. 0:13:07.120 --> 0:13:11.520 By the air coriol offenses, where you know, it's easier 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:13.719 to pick up eight yards throwing the ball and it 0:13:13.840 --> 0:13:17.280 is running the ball unless you got Walter Payton. But 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:21.320 you know, the thing was is that I always like 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:24.880 to go back to Don Shula and when they won 0:13:25.800 --> 0:13:28.319 the Super Bowl with their tremendous season that they had. 0:13:28.320 --> 0:13:31.520 When they went undefeated in that Super Bowl, I think 0:13:31.520 --> 0:13:35.640 Greasy threw like eleven passes. So you pass forward maybe 0:13:35.720 --> 0:13:39.320 ten years from there to where now Shula drafts Dan 0:13:39.400 --> 0:13:41.560 Marino and Marino's throwing. 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:42.760 For five thousand yards. 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:46.360 So here you've got a coach who relied on Zanka 0:13:46.400 --> 0:13:47.800 and kick and Mercury. 0:13:47.440 --> 0:13:49.440 Morris to run the ball. 0:13:50.120 --> 0:13:54.800 But he saw the effect that our offenses had on 0:13:54.840 --> 0:13:57.640 the league in a couple of great games against his 0:13:57.920 --> 0:14:01.240 defenses and his teams. Now he's got a great quarterback 0:14:01.240 --> 0:14:03.640 of Marino. He's willing to throw the ball, and now 0:14:03.880 --> 0:14:05.240 everybody's willing to throw the ball. 0:14:05.880 --> 0:14:08.960 Dan, you touched on Walter Payton. You touched on Don Shula. 0:14:09.080 --> 0:14:11.800 Tom had the rare I guess you'd call it the 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:16.000 rare hat trick. He played for George Allen in the USFL, 0:14:16.200 --> 0:14:19.640 Don Shula in the NFL, and Mike Ditkin in the NFL. 0:14:20.400 --> 0:14:24.520 All hall of famers and just incredible coaching, and you 0:14:25.200 --> 0:14:28.000 had Don Corielle. But also go into the Hall of 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:30.800 Fame with the following your Hall of Fame class in 0:14:30.920 --> 0:14:34.720 nineteen ninety three, Walter Payton, it was Bill Walsh, who 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:37.400 was also a coach of yours, the great Chuck Noll 0:14:38.040 --> 0:14:40.680 and one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history, 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:42.800 and Larry Little. What a Hall of Fame class. What 0:14:42.800 --> 0:14:45.080 do you remember about that day in the mingling with 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:46.240 that class, Well. 0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:49.400 It's the most humbling experience you can imagine to be 0:14:49.480 --> 0:14:51.360 a member of the Hall of Fame and to go 0:14:51.440 --> 0:14:52.520 in with that class. 0:14:53.520 --> 0:14:56.840 When they hall turned fifty back. 0:14:56.720 --> 0:14:59.200 A couple of years ago, about ten or twelve years 0:14:59.200 --> 0:15:02.560 ago or so, actually it was ten years ago, they 0:15:02.600 --> 0:15:06.160 had a vote on what was the best Hall of 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:10.880 Fame class of all time excluding the very first class, 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:15.360 which you know Jim Thorpe and Red Grange and Bronkolndgirski 0:15:15.440 --> 0:15:18.120 and all those George Hollis and all those great people. 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:22.800 But it was the other forty nine classes that they ranked, 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:27.080 And surprisingly enough, they ranked the class of ninety three, 0:15:27.520 --> 0:15:30.560 the fellas you just mentioned as the number one class. 0:15:30.600 --> 0:15:34.600 So Larry Little and I always when we see each 0:15:34.600 --> 0:15:37.640 other in canon, which is every year we go back, 0:15:38.040 --> 0:15:39.280 we just raise one finger. 0:15:41.320 --> 0:15:46.720 I love it. What impacted you about this year getting 0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:49.280 your coach in there, a guy just so synonymous with 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:53.720 great offense, and his induction into the Hall of Fame, 0:15:53.760 --> 0:15:55.320 it all came full circle for you? 0:15:55.760 --> 0:15:59.280 Well, I really did. I mean, I owed Don Coriel everything. 0:15:59.520 --> 0:16:01.840 I mean, you guys wouldn't be talking to me now 0:16:02.280 --> 0:16:05.240 if he never was hired by the Chargers and gave 0:16:05.320 --> 0:16:07.880 us such great offense to work with and great players 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:12.040 to play with. I'm a selector on the Hall of 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:15.640 Fame committee, and so I've been beating that drum for 0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:19.640 as long as I've been on that committee. And finally 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:24.440 I got smart and I told the other selectors, don't 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:25.160 listen to my. 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:27.400 Opinion about Don Coriel. 0:16:28.760 --> 0:16:31.800 Listen to the men you've already put in to the 0:16:31.840 --> 0:16:35.400 Hall of Fame. So I had quotes from Don Shula, 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:38.160 I had quotes from Tom Landry, and I had quotes 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:41.520 from John Madden. But what I also did is I 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:45.480 found a letter in my desk about six months before 0:16:45.800 --> 0:16:49.200 the meeting, and it was a letter that Bill Walsh 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:54.960 had handwritten to Don Coriel, and it was just sitting 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:58.120 in my desk, and Bill had sent me a copy 0:16:58.160 --> 0:17:00.720 because he wanted me to know what how he felt 0:17:00.760 --> 0:17:03.400 about Coriole. And in the letter, I mean, it was 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:07.240 just remarkable that what he said that he learned more 0:17:07.640 --> 0:17:11.320 just watching Coriel's offenses than he learned from all other 0:17:11.400 --> 0:17:14.840 coaches that he worked with combined. Well, that's a pretty 0:17:14.840 --> 0:17:17.639 big statement when you consider he worked for Paul Brown. 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:22.560 So that letter and those quotes from those other great 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:25.280 coaches that are all in the Hall of Fame I really, 0:17:25.640 --> 0:17:29.600 I think helped Coriol's cause because prior to that, he'd 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:33.399 been a finalist six times. Six times had to go 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:35.880 to the family and said I'm sorry he didn't make 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:36.520 it this time. 0:17:37.040 --> 0:17:38.920 This time I got to say he did. 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:41.200 I was reading a lot of articles about you overnight, 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:43.960 and it seemed like every article started Dan struggled the 0:17:43.960 --> 0:17:46.040 first couple of years of his NFL career. 0:17:47.000 --> 0:17:49.600 Is that true? Did you struggle? And then number two? 0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:53.720 What was the turning point? And I almost looking for 0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:57.480 advice about what you would tell young quarterbacks up today, 0:17:57.880 --> 0:18:00.760 What was your turn point to a Hall of Fame career? 0:18:01.119 --> 0:18:05.240 Well, Tom, my first five years were you know. 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:08.119 I was already fitting myself for a white belt and 0:18:08.160 --> 0:18:11.400 white shoes in a gold century twenty one jacket because 0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:12.680 I was going to be out of. 0:18:12.600 --> 0:18:14.119 Football at a big hurry. 0:18:14.359 --> 0:18:18.000 I had had four head coaches and five different offensive 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:22.320 coordinators in those first five years, so that part. 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:23.440 Of it was a little difficult. 0:18:23.600 --> 0:18:26.240 One of the coordinators, though, was Bill Walsh, and I 0:18:26.240 --> 0:18:28.400 only had him for one year and then he went 0:18:28.400 --> 0:18:30.280 to Stamford and then the forty nine ers. 0:18:30.520 --> 0:18:34.320 But once once, you. 0:18:34.280 --> 0:18:36.880 Know, we played bad enough to and I played bad 0:18:36.960 --> 0:18:41.800 enough to get Tommy Prothrow fired. That Don Coriell was 0:18:41.840 --> 0:18:44.680 just sitting at his home in San Diego having been 0:18:44.720 --> 0:18:47.879 fired by the Saint Louis Cardinals the year before, and 0:18:47.920 --> 0:18:51.120 he wasn't doing anything except, you know, collecting his paycheck. 0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:55.720 But the Chargers were smart enough to pluck him and 0:18:56.119 --> 0:18:58.960 put him as our head coach. And that is the 0:18:59.000 --> 0:19:03.680 turning point. Four games into my sixth year in the NFL, 0:19:04.119 --> 0:19:08.640 at nine wonderful seasons with coriol And again that's why 0:19:09.160 --> 0:19:10.280 you know I'm in the Hall of Fame. 0:19:10.320 --> 0:19:12.960 And I'm talking to you guys this morning when you. 0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:15.199 Look at the quarterbacks up today, because Jeff and I 0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:17.840 have been doing the Bears games now for twenty seven years, 0:19:17.880 --> 0:19:20.280 so we kind of pay attention to the draft, pay 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:23.880 attention to the lineage. But guys like yourself and then 0:19:23.880 --> 0:19:26.400 I came out in the eighty three draft with Marino 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:27.920 and that crew. And then you look at the Peyton 0:19:27.960 --> 0:19:30.680 mannings and you look at Tom Brady's do you think 0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:34.719 four years of college benefited you rather than if you 0:19:34.760 --> 0:19:37.600 are a modern day quarterback, you might have been out 0:19:37.600 --> 0:19:40.800 of college after two or after three years. 0:19:41.480 --> 0:19:45.720 There's no question, and I think you know, the college 0:19:45.760 --> 0:19:50.639 experience is so unique. It's where you've really become independent. 0:19:50.880 --> 0:19:52.919 It's where you become a man, if you will. And 0:19:52.920 --> 0:19:55.439 at least that's the way I looked at it. I 0:19:55.480 --> 0:19:58.000 had a great time at the University of Oregon. I 0:19:58.080 --> 0:20:03.000 learned a lot, both academic and athletically. But you're absolutely 0:20:03.080 --> 0:20:07.520 right when you talk about the experience of going into 0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:11.520